Hydrotherapy apparatus



Nov. 22, 1966 P. RODEN 3,286,712

HYDROTHERAPY APPARATUS Filed Oct. 10, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 44 86INVENTOR.

86 84 PHILIP RODEN F] G 3 LAZO a BARRY ATTORNEYS Nov. 22, 1966 P. RODEN3,286,712

HYDROTHERAPY APPARATUS Filed Oct. 10, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet z INVENTOR.

PHILIP RODEN LAZO a BARRY ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,286,712HYDROTHERAPY APPARATUS Philip Roden, 1820 E. Wood Place, Milwaukee, Wis.Filed Oct. 10, 1963, Ser. No. 315,186 Claims. (Cl. 128-66) In myco-pending application, a hydrotherapeutic device was disclosed whichwas a portable, self-supporting unit that could be positioned in avertical relation adjacent to a body of water such as a bathtub. Thisdevice proved satisfactory in operation in that it provided theflexibility desired for a unit of this type since it could be positionedat any convenient location adjacent to the bathtub. It had someobjectionable features in that it was difficult to prime because thewater tank or reservoir was located in the bottom of the device, makingit necessary to fill the reservoir through the inlet or suction tube.Since the reservoir was internal to the physical structure of thedevice, it was practically impossible to clean. This is of particularsignificance when it is realized that the water which is circulatedthrough the tank is recirculated water from the bathtub and obviouslycontains impurities that should notbe allowed to remain in the unit.

One of the primary objects of this invention is to provide an improvedhydrotherapy unit that can be quickly and easily set up by the user atany desired position adjacent the bathtub.

Another object of this invention is to provide a home hydrotherapy unitthat can be quickly and easily primed, drained and cleaned.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device that can beeasily assembled and disassembled by an unskilled individual.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device that can beeasily primed from the top without any possibility of wetting theelectrical components of the device.

A further object of this invention is to provide a,home hydrotherapydevice that is free of electrical hazards.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a home hydrotherapydevice that can be easily handled and stored when not in use.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a low-costlight-weight, home hydrotherapy unit that can be quickly and easilymoved to any position in a tub and adjusted to direct a flow of aeratedwater at any height or angle.

These objects are accomplished by molding the housing and cover for thehydrotherapy unit out of an electrically non-conductive plastic materialthat is light in weight and of sufficient strength to be aself-supporting unit. The housing and cover are designed so that thecover can be easily screwed onto the top of the housing thereby defininga water reservoir or priming chamber in the space between the cover andhousing. The cover is centrally recessed to form a funnel around aninlet passage in the cover for filling the chamber. An outlet passage islocated in the housing in axial alignment with the inlet passage forfeeding water directly to a motor driven centrifugal pump. An outervertical flange on the outer periphery of the cover overhangs the sidesof the housing and acts as an umbrella to prevent water from drippingonto the housing.

The housing is molded in the shape of a bell having a wide base tosupport the unit and a flat top that forms the bottom of the reservoir.The motor driven pump is mounted within the housing so that it isprotected from any water that might be splashed from the tub onto theunit. All of the parts that contact water are electricallynon-conductive thereby eliminating the electrical hazard normallypresent in electrical devices used in water. Water is drawn from anddischarged to the tub through flexible hoses. An aspirator is providedon the end of the discharge hose to aerate the water as it leaves thehose. One significant advantage of this arrangement is that the aeratedwater can be directed directly on the part of the anatomy that requirestreatment, This will be more readily appreciated when it is realizedthat almost all units presently on the market are stationary and onlydevelop a whirlpool effect in the tub. The direct application of aeratedwater to the anatomy has proven more beneficial than the whirlpooldevices.

Other objects and advantages will become more readily apparent from thefollowing detailed specification when read in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an end view partly in sections showing the home hydrotherapyunit positioned adjacent a bathtub.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the hydrotherapy unit positioned as in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view partly in sections of the hydrotherapy unit, and

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the unit.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the hydrotherapy unit isshown standing next to a bathtub 10 with the inlet hose 12 and dischargehose 14 extending into the tub. The hoses are both made of anelectrically nonconductive material such as spirally wound, flexiblepolyethylene plastic material. Suction cups 16 and 18 are provided onthe ends of the hoses so that they may be attached at any locationwithin the tub. Since the only parts of the unit that extend into thetub are the ends of the inlet and discharge hoses, the versatility ofthe unit is greatly enhanced due to the small tub space required for thehoses. The end of the discharge hose can be placed at any position andat any required elevation.

The unit is housed within an umbrella type cover 20 and a bell-shapedbase 22 both of which are made of electrically non-conductive materialsuch as impregnated asbestos filled polypropylene. The cover has athreaded section 24 which is screwed onto a threaded flange 26 on thetop of the housing. A rubber O-ring 28 is positioned on the flange toseal the chamber or reservoir 30 formed between the cover and housing.The central portion 32 of the cover is recessed to form a funnel aroundinlet passage 34. Filling of the chamber or reservoir is simplifiedconsiderably with this arrangement. The outer edge of the cover has avertical flange 36 that overhangs the sides of the base to protect itfrom water that might be spilled or splashed on the cover.

The top of the base has a central passage 38 and a number of vent holes40 located around the outside of the flange 26. A number of weep holes42 are provided around the central passage to allow the chamber orreservoir 30 to drain dry when not in use. A second set of vent holes 44are located around the bottom of the base to allow for the propercirculation of air in the base.

A pump housing 46 is secured to the inside surface of the top of thebase by a number of nuts and bolts 48 and is sealed by a gasket 50. Theoutlet passage 52 of the pump housing projects through an opening 54 inthe side wall of the base for discharging water from the housing. Anelectric motor 56 is secured to the pump housing by through bolts 58with the armature shaft 60 extending into the pump housing through drivepassage 62. A ball bearing 64 is secured to the shaft and is held in thedrive passage by snap ring 66 which is seated in a groove 68. Thecentrifugal impeller 75 of the pump is secured to the end of the shaftwith impeller inlet 78 extending upward into passage 38. The pumphousing and impeller are both molded from an electrically nonconductivematerial such as Delrin.

The drive passage is sealed by means of a mechanical seal formed betweena rubber lined ceramic ring 70 se cured in groove '72 and a springbiased seal ring 74 positioned on the shaft. The spring biased seal isseated on the ceramic ring by screwing centrifugal impeller 76 onto theend of the shaft. Once the impeller has been tightly screwed onto thisshaft, the spring seal ring will be compressed so that it bears againstthe ceramic ring. The seal ring will rotate with the impeller while theceramic ring remains stationary in the pump housing. The spring biasforce applied to the contracting surface of the seal ring and ceramicring provides a mechanical seal between the two rings which preventswater from contacting the armature shaft.

The electric motor is connected to a suitable power source by aconventional water tight cord (not shown) and can be provided with anoif-on type switch plug. A baffie ring 80 is secured to the housing byscrews 82 and surrounds the central portion of the motor. A motorsupport plate 84 is secured to the housing by screws 86 and acts tosupport the motor and to close the bottom of the base. The motor isprovided with a conventional fan for drawing air through openings 38 anddischarging air through openings 90. The bafile ring prevents the airdischarged from openings fit) from re-circulating back to openings 88.Cooling air is therefore continuously drawn through vent holes 40 in thetop of the base and discharged through vent holes 42 in the bottom ofthe base. The overhanging flange on the cover prevents any water fromentering Vent holes 411.

The inlet hose is provided with a connecting elbow 92 that fits snuglyin passage 34. The elbow is free to swing or pivot in any directionaround the unit and can be easily slipped out of the passage in thecover when the chamber 30 has to be primed.

A filtering screen assembly 94 is connected to the inlet of the inlethose by a pin 96 to prevent any large objects from entering the unit.Suction cup 16 is mounted on the side of the screen assembly forsecuring the inlet at any position in the side of the tub. A ball 98 ispositioned on valve seat 100 in the assembly and acts as a ball-typecheck valve to allow water to enter the hose but prevents back flow whenthe unit is turned off. It should be apparent that due to the relativepositions of the chamber 30 and the inlet base, a siphoning effect mayresult each time the unit is turned oh? by the head of water in theinlet hose. This would necessitate a priming action each time the unitis turned otf which is undesirable when the unit is'turned off onlymomentarily. The head of water in the inlet hose acts against the hosecausing it to seat on the valve seat thereby retaining the water in thehose.

The outlet hose is connected to the outlet of the pump housing by aconnecting nipple 65. An aspirator assembly 102 is mounted on the end ofthe outer hose and is pivoted on bracket 1% on suction cups 18. Theaspirator housing is molded in two sections with a groove 106 on theupper end and a discharge nozzle 108 on the other end. A tube 110 ispositioned within the housing in communication with the dischargenozzle. An elbow 112, connected to the end of the discharge hose, has acircular flange 114 which fits snugly but loosely in groove 106 with theelbow loosely fitted in passage 107. An O-ring 120 is positioned belowthe flange in the entrance to tube 110. Air inlet holes 116 are providedin the top of the housing through which air is drawn by the venturieifect caused at the necked down passage 118 adjacent the discharge endof the nozzle 108. A butterfly-type regular 122 may be placed in tube110 to control the flow of water. A regulator button 124 is convenientlylocated on the side of the aspirator.

In operating the unit, the elbow 92 is removed from the cover. Thechamber 30 is filled with water to prime the unit for starting. It maybe necessary to elevate the aspirator during priming to prevent thewater in the chamber from flowing out of the discharge hose. The elbow92 is replaced in the cover and the inlet end secured to the side of thetub. The aspirator unit is then secured to the side of the tub in thearea of the anatomy which is to be treated, the only limitation beingthat air holes 116 in the aspirator housing must be located above thelevel of the water in the tub. When the electric motor is switched on,the water in chamber 30 will be drawn into the pump housing anddischarged into the aspirator. The water that discharges from nozzle 108will be aerated by air which is drawn through vents 116 by the venturieffect at opening 118. The rate of water flow can be adjusted by turningbutton 124 which is connected to butterfly valve 122 in tube 110.

When the unit is turned 011?, the head of water in inlet hose 12 Willseat ball 98 on seat preventing the draining of chamber 30 by anysiphoning efiect caused by water in the hose. If the unit is to bestored, elbow 92 should be pulled out of passage 34 in the cover and thewater drained from the inlet hose. The water in the discharge hose andaspirator will often create a siphoning effect in the discharge hosewhich will draw the water out of chamber 30. Any water remaining in thepump housing can be drained by using flange 36 as a handle and raisingthe unit at an angle to pour the water from the pump housing. The hosesmay be stored separately or wrapped around the housing.

Although only one embodiment of the present invention has been shown anddescribed, it should be apparent that various changes and modificationscan be made therein without departing from the scope of the appendedclaims.

What is claimed is:

1. A portable hydrotherapy unit for a body of Water COInpI1S1I1g ahousing having a top and a cylindrical outer surface,

a motor driven pump mounted within said housing and having an inlet andan outlet,

said inlet projecting through said top and said outlet projectingthrough said outer surface,

a cover secured to the top of said housing,

said cover defining a chamber with the top of said housing above saidpump inlet,

passage means in said cover for admitting Water to said chamber,

removable flexible hose means extending from said passage means in saidcover for connecting to said body of water and outlet hose means forconnecting the outlet of said pump to said body of water,

whereby water drawn from said body of water will flow into said chamberand from said chamber directly into said pump and will be returned tosaid body of water under pressure.

2. A portable hydrotherapy unit according to claim 1 wherein saidremovable flexible hose means includes a oneway valve to prevent thebackflow of water from said chamber.

3. A unit according to claim 2 including aspirator means connected tothe end of said outlet hose means, said aspirator means having anattaching means for selectively positioning said aspirator means withinsaid body of water.

4. A portable hydrotherapy unit adapted to be positioned adjacent a tubof water comprising a housing,

a water reservoir in said housing,

an electrically non-conductive hose having one end removably connectedto the reservoir and the other end adapted to be immersed in the waterin the tub,

a pump having an inlet and an outlet mounted in said housing below saidreservoir with the inlet connected to said reservoir,

5 a 6 a second electrically non-conductive hose having one ReferencesCited by the Examiner end connected to the outlet of the pump and theother UNITED STATES PATENTS end adapted to be immersed in the water inthe tub, 2 091 1 said other end of said hose being selectively securable2 3; gi 23 5; any Part P i 5 2,447,123 8/1948 Jones IIIIII: 4-180 X amotor mounted 1n said housing below and operatively 2 793 640 5/1957Schwartz 4 180 connected sald Pump 2,799,866 7/1957 Jawett 128--66 xsaid reservoir, pump and motor being axially aligned in a verticalrelation. EIGN PATENTS 5. A portable hydrotherapy unit according toclaim 4 10 280,670 7/1952 Switzerland.

including an aspirator unit connected to the other end of said secondhose to aerate the water as it leaves the aspira- RICHARD GAUDET,Primary Examinertor unit. L. W. TRAPP, Assistant Examiner.

4. A PORTABLE HYDROTHERAPY UNIT ADAPTED TO BE POSITIONED ADJACENT A TUBE OF WATER COMPRISING A HOUSING, A WATER RESERVOIR IN SAID HOUSING, AN ELECTRICALLY NON-CONDUCTIVE HOSE HAVING ONE END REMOVABLY CONNECTED TO THE RESERVOIR AND THE OTHER END ADAPTED TO BE IMMERSED IN THE WATER IN THE TUB, A PUMP HAVING AN INLET AND AN OUTLET MOUNTED IN SAID HOUSING BELOW SAID RESERVOIR WITH THE INLET CONNECTED TO SAID RESERVOIR, A SECOND ELECTRICALLY NON-CONDUCTIVE HOSE HAVING ONE END CONNECTED TO THE OUTLET OF THE PUMP AND THE OTHER END ADAPTED TO BE IMMERSED IN THE WATER IN THE TUB, SAID OTHER END OF SAID HOSE BEING SELECTIVELY SECURABLE TO ANY PART OF THE TUB, AND A MOTOR MOUNTED IN SAID HOUSING BELOW AND OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID PUMP, SAID RESERVOIR, PUMP AND MOTOR BEING AXIALLY ALIGNED IN A VERTICAL RELATION. 